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Abbot's Habit
With its crunchy, unwashed vibe - messenger bags, dreadlocked hippies, '80s indie classics on the airwaves - scruffy Abbot's Habit feels more Colorado mountain town than shiny LA surf city. But then you see the flip-flops, dude, and it all seems right. The coffee's strong, the pastries are fresh and the patio's made for loitering. Check it out, bro.
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Antigua Cultural Coffee House
'From our plantation to yours' is the motto at this Mayan-themed coffeeshop where no one's a stranger for long. The coffee faithful loiter over magazines, listen to bands or just appreciate high-quality beans shipped directly from Antigua and roasted on site.
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Bigfoot Lodge
Smokey the Bear presides over this laid-back log-cabin setting, a cool spot to camp out for a drink or two (try the minty Girl Scout cookie). The action heats up Tuesday for ladies' night and Wednesday for Club London Calling.
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Boardner's
Keeping barflies boozy since 1942, this dimly lit dive is hot once again with the hipsters - just ask the old salt keeping track from his barside perch. For celeb hounds, Kiefer Southerland, Heath Ledger and Vince Vaughn have been spotted here. The B52 nightclub in back draws a different crowd - Saturday night's Bar Sinister admits only those in black or fetish-appropriate attire.
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Cat & Fiddle
From Morrissey to Frodo, you never know who might be sipping Guinness on the leafy, laid-back courtyard patio where it's more about friends and conversation than faux-hawks and working the deal.
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Circus Disco
It's a seven-ring circus Saturday nights when DJs spin house, trance, hip-hop, and '80s in seven separate rooms in Circus' 40,000-sq-ft warehouse. Crowds swarm the throbbing, laser-filled dance floors for a multilingual, multi-themed DJ-powered bacchanalia. On Tuesdays it's boys night for guys who like guys, and next door at gay-slanted Arena (323-462-0714; www.arenanightclub.com), it's boys night a lot more often.
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Comedy & Magic Club
Carlin, Foxworthy, Seinfeld - his puffy shirt is on display - have all paced the boards at Hermosa's Comedy and Magic Club. For big names, get here before to nab a good table and be ready to share your job or hometown with the ever-inquisitive opening acts. Always hot is Jay Leno, who tests out jokes most Sunday nights.
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Edendale Grill Mixville Bar
Gay, straight, 20s, 30s and Hollywood refugees - it's a five-alarm crowd on weekends at this former Silver Lake firestation. The mahogany bar, pressed-in ceiling and wide bay doors lend a certain old-school gravitas to the non-stop, late-night reveling. Locals fill the bar and patios weeknights.
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El Compadre
Excuse me, waiter? It seems my margarita is on fire. It's supposed to be? Slurp. Mmmm. Can I have another? If you've never had a flaming margarita, order up and enjoy along with addictive chips and salsa at Echo Park's liveliest cantina. Open late, its u-shaped booths and festive decor are perfect for rowdy groups. If this downtown-adjacent location isn't convenient, check out the dimly-lit Hollywood branch (7408 W Hollywood Blvd).
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El Coyote Mexican Café
With 24 tequilas and a variety of margaritas displayed prominently on the menu, there's no doubt what's pulling 'em in at this festive, red-boothed institution where Sharon Tate is rumored to have eaten her last meal. Pay a buck more for the tastier homemade 'scratch' margarita, but word to the wise: drinks here are fall-on-your-face strong. Witnesses can attest.
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Elixir Tonics & Teas
Tea is the new coffee at this teacup-sized retreat. Browse herbal tonics, candles and Buddhas, then order a freshly made tonic - try the Depth Recharger - at the tea bar. A secluded courtyard awaits those needing a longer zen moment.
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Ercole's
Check your attitude at the door at scruffy but lovable Ercole's - the South Bay's favorite dive since 1927. Old salts, pub crawlers, volleyball stars, wobbly co-eds - expect all to wander in. What's best? The around US$8 pitchers and Taco Tuesdays.
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Good Luck Bar
It's decked out like a fantasy Chinese opium den, and the paper lanterns at this cultish watering hole cast a siren's red glow. The clientele is cool, the jukebox is loud, and the drinks are seductively strong. Be sure to pick up a matchbook.
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Groundlings
From sketch to improv, the much-kudoed Groundlings comedy troupe conjures up the funny every night. Surprise guests who've gone on to Saturday Night Live and Mad TV often drop by Thursday nights.
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Hennessey's Tavern
With a little luck o' the Irish, you'll nab a table on the bustling rooftop deck just in time for sunset. Grab a Guinness and burger at this pier's-end pub - always fun but a smidge less rowdy than the frat-pack magnets crowding the rest of the pier.
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Io West
Toss out the phrase 'giant mushroom' and watch the cast spin a 45-minute skit. Long form is the specialty at this cozy corner theater - the LA branch of Olympic Improv Chicago - where you might catch familiar faces from The Office or SNL honing their comedy chops. Cocktails served.
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Library Bar
You won't be checking out books at this dark, elbow-to-elbow drinking pad where you may have to yell to be heard above the din. The book-lined bar with an East Coast vibe may be new to the scene but it's filling a void for the post-work thirsty looking for a low-attitude beer. Note, the entrance is on Hope St.
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Little Temple
Afro-Cuban, deep house, hip-hop and a side of salsa keep this groovin' Little Temple swelling with happy hipsters. A sexy spin-off from its Santa Monica sister, this Asian-themed club with a red lantern glow keeps things loose with beat-driven DJs.
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Mandrake
Remember those parties in high school, chillin' in somebody's parent's garage - concrete floor, a little cold, a work-in-progress kinda place - where you were ready to drop your cup and run at the first sign of trouble? Mandrake's got that garage-cool feel plus a couple of art chicks. Opened by an art-minded trio in the heart of Culver City's gallery district, this little bar's got a big buzz. And it's fun.
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Mountain Bar
Poets and hipsters gather at this artsy Chinatown bar for a nightcap after gallery-hopping on nearby Chung King Rd. The Kool Aid-orange decor makes you feel like you're sitting inside a volcano.
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Musso & Frank Grill
History and martinis are the draw nowadays at this mahogany and red-boothed landmark that's been serving up drinks to writers, actors and rockers for the better part of a century. For a noirish night out, order a no-frills martini at the dark wooden bar and soak up the boozy spirits of Chandler, Fitzgerald and Hammett.
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Novel Café
With numerous nooks, walls of books, and a loiterer-friendly feel, Novel Café is a low-key indie coffeeshop (and used bookstore) favored by writers, beach bums and tired Main St shoppers looking for an attitude-free caffeine infusion.
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On The Waterfront Cafe
For a little German-style conviviality, oom-pah-pah your way over to the lively patios at On the Waterfront Café, where a boisterous international crew guzzles pitchers of Bitburger and Erdinger. Lots of pub grub and a few Germanic specialties - potato pancakes, bratwurst, Swiss-dried beef - keep the boardwalk-adjacent revelers going all day long.
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Polo Lounge At The Beverly Hills Hotel
With its mix of tennis whites, business suits and chi-chi dresses, this swanky, wood-paneled watering hole has the feel of a Hollywood country club. From smiling Isaac Mizrahi to still-tan George Hamilton to scruffy David Arquette, you never know who you'll see murmuring in the perpetually reserved, dark booths. This is the place to sip a martini in Old Hollywood style.
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Rage
Buff bods and the boys who love them groove to the music on DJ-driven dance floors at this high-energy club, while scenesters check each other out on the sizzling sidewalk patio. Check the website for theme nights and drink specials.
